Video of refilling operations for the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen cryogenic spheres at 39B (beginning of the following video)

Inside KSC! for Sept. 29, 2017

NASAKennedyPublished on Sep 29, 2017

The first major integrated operation at Launch Pad 39B began this week with the initial tanking of a cryogenic fuel, liquid oxygen, into a giant sphere at the northwest corner of the pad. Construction of new facilities and demolition of outdated facilities also continued as Kennedy Space Center completes the transition to a multi-user spaceport.

Water flowed during a test at Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. About 450,000 gallons of water flowed at high speed from a holding tank through new and modified piping and valves, the flame trench, flame deflector nozzles and mobile launcher interface risers during a wet flow test at Launch Complex 39B. At peak flow, the water reached about 100 feet in the air above the pad surface. The test was a milestone to confirm and baseline the performance of the Ignition Overpressure/Sound Suppression system. During launch of NASA's Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, the high-speed water flow will help protect the vehicle from the extreme acoustic and temperature environment during ignition and liftoff.

About 450,000 gallons of water flowed at high speed from a holding tank through new and modified piping and valves, the flame trench, flame deflector nozzles and mobile launcher interface risers during a wet flow test at Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At peak flow, the water reached about 100 feet in the air above the pad surface. The test was a milestone to confirm and baseline the performance of the Ignition Overpressure/Sound Suppression system. During launch of NASA's Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, the high-speed water flow will help protect the vehicle from the extreme acoustic and temperature environment during ignition and liftoff. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett